Ridgewayforge

Also, if you *REALLY* feel you need a sharp edge, why not just do a little grinding on one side of the cutting table instead of the face? Or perhaps on the bottom of the anvil? The whole thing is the tool, and a really clever smith can use more than the face and horn to make what he needs. There is no reason to grind or weld on the face- all that does is lessen the life by softening or removing the hardened top plate.

Personally, I'd pay no more than $50 for a leg vice. Its cheaper than what the "antique" crowd sells 'em for, but I use them as a tool. I also already have two, which I got for a combined total of $60, and that's all from just south of Gettysburg. YMMV

Have you connected with the local blacksmithing group? 50 USD$ for 50 lbs of coal is a ripoff. I only go as high as 10$ for 50 lbs, but that's even a little steep. If you contact your local group, they might have bulk coal for much less than online. The side blast forge is simple and effective, and will not break the bank. If you even just angle the hairdrying at a shallow angle so that not all of the air goes into the pipe you can vent it that way.

Biggundoctor, I've also heard that spaghetti is a work hardening material; the ones I've seen through a rolling mill certainly were!

Looks like a Trenton or a Hay Budden, good condition with a good face and holes- if it fits your budget, and you can get it and start working on it, then when you need a bigger anvil you can earn its keep by working on this little one. I use a 75lb anvil and it is sufficient for all that I use it for (tools, ornamental forging)

I'm no expert, but I think that that's the way the whirlwind firepots were designed. I have one with a seized up clinker breaker; I just use a pick to go in from the front and poke them down.

Frosty, as I understand it, Emersons are new cast steel anvils; grinding wouldn't do too much if the whole thing is hardened and tempered. It probably came like that from the shop.

Either upset and fuller down, or lay some welding bead down and grind it into the appropriate shape. I highly doubt that it would be easier to start from that size stock and forge down, but its a possibility.

I think that you'll find that scale removal will help a great deal in keeping the blade nicely finished. If you're planning to use it, it might be good to try and sand it smooth, in order to wash it more easily.

How's the shop carving coming along?

Looks like a northern german style anvil. Are there any markings on the sides to tell us? What's the weight?

Neglected? That baby looks pristine! Did you snap it up? If not, go get it at once! Double Horned anvils are beautiful, and that one looks like it has some history to tell!

Looks like there might be more goodies laying around the shop that it was in; perhaps smithing tools!

Perhaps when I get the new shop built I will put in a suitable connexion for the air pipe! This is a great example of a creative way to solve a problem!

How much are you asking for them?

That bluish color could have been from some dust or something else burning around the metal. Its one of those mysteries, but I get things like that sometimes.

Looks like it.

Bad choice of words on my part! Can't be a FISHER, can it? The feet looked forged, the line on the side looks like a weld or an addition, and the horn has a strange squarish transition. Could be worthwhile, but its hard to make an oficial pronouncement until more photos are provided.

There is something fishy from the way it looks in the photo, but one cannot be sure unless other pictures are supplied!

Looks really good. Is it just mud daubed inside?

Posners Industries in Frederick, off of English Muffin Way is my stop for new stock. Its not too expensive, and they have most of anything that I need. They will cut the 20' sections in half for free, no matter how much. I'm not too far from you, just up the road a bit.

The mesh might not hold up for very long, but if you get a heavy cast iron drain cover, or perhaps some 3/8" steel plate with holes drilled in it you can make it work.

Is that a 250 lbs anvil for $250? That is a steal! She's in beautiful shape, too!

Gotcha. So, as I am understanding it, wrought iron block (london pattern sans top plate) is just over cast iron in terms of effecitveness and just below mild steel? Its more of a theoretical than a practical question, really, and all that has been said makes good sense. Perhaps it will be helpful in case I can ever pick up a faceless anvil for free!

I've been thinking a lot about some of the widely dispersed knowledge of anvils, both london and other shaped anvils, and there are two things commonly said: #1: It doesn't need to be shaped like a London Pattern Anvil and #2; Any lump of metal will work. To that end: Many times I have seen folks discourage new blacksmiths from picking up beaten up london pattern anvils if the damage is too far. For example, if the faceplate is gone or if there is not a workable surface. I understand that sometimes folks are trying to sell anvils at a price that is outrageous, such as $1200 for a small 100lb anvil without a faceplate. My question is whether or not the wrought iron base of many anvils would make a good anvil, if all else were lacking and the price was right. So, if I found a 200lbs anvil without a top plate for $150 or so, wouldn't it make a good enough anvil? On the other hand, was the wrought iron too low quality to be used effectively over any period of forging? By the same token, if a beat-up anvil were to be purchased on the cheap, and then to be welded on to created corners or to fill the face, wouldn't the tempered steel be at least as hard as the striking anvils I have seen used by scores of others, who claim that these anvils, being only mild steel, are fine for use? I hope this doesn't muddy the waters, but enquiring minds want to know! Thank you for all the help!